(ST. GEORGE, Utah) - The St. George-based international humanitarian organization, Heart Walk Foundation, held its Annual Dinner & Auction Saturday, Feb. 22 to benefit the native Q’ero communities of high Andes Mountains in Peru. With donations still coming in, the sold-out event raised $37,762 in 3 hours, more than 20% increase in donated funds over last year’s event.

Founders Tim and Penelope Eicher of Dammeron Valley joined with supporters and friends in an evening of raising funds for schools, greenhouses, and trout farms for a people abandoned by their own government.

“We are thrilled at the wonderful support we received this year,” Penelope Eicher said. “Our central effort is to help the Q’ero gain nourishment, education and services to help increase quality of life for a people once desperate to survive.”

This year, a special effort was made to raise funds for greenhouses and solar lanterns for the Q’ero families that live in dark, stone-wall huts. “They are very excited about the idea of having light in their homes that will allow their children to do homework,” Penelope Eicher says. “We sold enough lanterns Saturday to fulfill our promise to provide a rechargeable light for 200 Q’ero families with our buy-one-give-one campaign.”

Heart Walk Foundation is supported by a national board of directors and more than 700 supporters internationally. Janice Brooks, former CEO of Green Valley Spa and public speaker, served as emcee of the Feb. 22 event titled “Light the Night: A benefit to bring light the remote Q’ero tribes of the Andes.”

The mission of HWF is to support the preservation of the Q’ero people and their native culture and traditional community living through improved agriculture, education, and health initiatives. To become involved, call (435) 619-0797.